Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/182

 it was only from love of me and my parents that they would not allow me to proceed to certain death. The Beni ʻAṭijje, he said, did not obey the Government, nor did the Ḥwêṭât at-Tihama, and their territories were frequented by gangs of robbers, so that we should assuredly perish if we were to leave Tebûk without the necessary military escort. In addition to that, the mudîr must inform Damascus that I was accompanied by two other foreigners who knew neither Arabic nor Turkish and to whom there was no reference in my official documents. I knew that the journey among the fanatical population of the Ḥeǧâz involved great danger, but I also knew that both the mudîr and Sâlem were purposely exaggerating the danger in order to extort gold and other gifts. I sent a message by Ǧwâd to both of them that I relied upon Allâh and his protection and that I would not yield until I had fully carried out my task; that if they would support me effectively, then I would reward their assistance with gold and other gifts; that Tûmân and Rifʻat were my servants, that I could take whom